Distributed On-Demand Media Transcoding System and Method

1. A method for providing media content transcoding services, comprising: (a) fetching media content; (b) selecting one of a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, wherein said one transcoder is selected based at least on the destination type; (c) sending the media content to said selected transcoder; (d) transcoding the media content to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; and (e) transmitting said transcoded media content; and (f) wherein said selected one of said plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a source type to a destination type which have different: (1) file formats of the media content; (2) bit-rates of the media content; (3) communication protocols according to which the media content is transferred; (4) physical media on which the media content is stored; (5) encoding formats; (6) compression algorithms; (7) digital rights management information; or (8) combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , said source type and said destination type having different file formats.

3. The method of claim 1 , said source type and said destination type having different bit rates.

4. The method of claim 1 , said source type and said destination type having different communication protocols.

5. The method of claim 1 , said source type and said destination type having different physical media on which said media content is stored.

6. The method of claim 1 , said source type and said destination type having different encoding formats.

7. The method of claim 1 , said source type and said destination type having different compression algorithms.

8. A method for delivering media content over a network, comprising: (a) transcoding the media content to generate a plurality of copies of the media content, each of said plurality of copies having a different destination type or a different source type or both; (b) storing said plurality of copies in a cache; (c) receiving requests for the media content; and (d) selecting and delivering a copy of one of said plurality of copies in response to each of said requests, (e) wherein said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies having different: (1) file formats of the media content; (2) bit-rates of the media content; (3) communication protocols according to which the media content is transferred; (4) physical media on which the media content is stored; (5) encoding formats; (6) compression algorithms; (7) digital rights management information; or (8) combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 , said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies having different file formats.

10. The method of claim 8 , said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different bit rates.

11. The method of claim 8 , said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different communication protocols.

12. The method of claim 8 , said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different physical media on which said media content is stored.

13. The method of claim 8 , said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different encoding formats.

14. The method of claim 8 , said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different compression algorithms.

15. The method of claim 8 , said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different digital rights management information.

16. A method for transcoding media content from a source type to a destination type, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a request for the media content; (b) fetching the media content; (c) selecting one of a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, wherein said one transcoder is selected based on the source type and the destination type; (d) sending the media content to said selected transcoder; (e) transcoding the media content from the source type to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; (f) transmitting said transcoded media content; and wherein the source type and the destination type are defined by at least digital rights management information.

17. A method for providing media content transcoding services, comprising; (a) fetching media content; (b) selecting one of a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, wherein said one transcoder is selected based at least on the destination type; (c) sending the media content to said selected transcoder; (d) transcoding the media content to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; and (e) transmitting said transcoded media content; and (f) wherein said selected one of said plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a source type to a destination type which have different digital rights management information.

18. A method for delivering media content, comprising: (a) transcoding the media content to generate a plurality of copies of the media content, each of said plurality of copies having a different destination type or a different source type or both; (b) storing said plurality of copies in a cache; (c) receiving requests for the media content; and (d) selecting and delivering a copy of one of said plurality of copies in response to each of said requests; (e) wherein said different destination type or different source the or both of said each of said plurality of copies having different digital rights management information.

19. A method for providing media content transcoding services, comprising: (a) fetching media content; (b) selecting one of a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, wherein said one transcoder is selected based at least on the destination type; (c) sending the media content to said selected transcoder; (d) transcoding the media content to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; and (e) transmitting said transcoded media content; and (f) wherein said selected one of said plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a source type to a destination type which have different digital rights management information.

20. The method of claim 1 , said source type and said destination type having different digital rights management information.